Interior Design has a piece up looking at Braun's influential product designs from the 1950s and '60s, and the man behind them, Dieter Rams:
Rams' design philosophy [was described as] "order rather than confusion, quiet rather than loud, unobtrusive rather than exciting, sparse rather than profuse, and well-balanced rather than exalted." In his own writing and speeches, Rams indicated strong opposition to extreme visual stimuli and stylistic obsolescence. He abhorred the chaos he perceived in the visual environment, a chaos stemming from too many designs that called attention to themselves, and too much turnover for mere novelty.
Rams attempted to counter this with designs that "integrate better and more pleasantly into people's surroundings." Long usage would make these products even more familiar and comfortable. Rams did not turn a blind eye to appearance, but he sought a timeless rather than a modish beauty, and clearly favored a minimalist visual aesthetic. His mantra of "less, but better" was not a devaluation of the role of design, but rather a reassessment.
Click here and read about the man that helped fill out MoMA's design collection.
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.